give someone the cold shoulder
idiomC
To deliberately ignore or show indifference to someone
- 1After their argument, she decided to give him the cold shoulder at the party.
- 2He felt hurt when his friends gave him the cold shoulder for no reason.
When you give someone the cold shoulder, you are ignoring them on purpose or acting like you don't care about them. It's like pretending they don't exist or don't matter to you. It can make the other person feel hurt or rejected.
A common mistake to avoid is thinking that giving someone the cold shoulder is always intentional. Sometimes people are just preoccupied or distracted, so it's important to communicate openly to avoid misunderstandings.
at a relaxation center
Unexpected Silence
William
I tried talking to Emma earlier, but she just walked past me.
Susan
Oh, she's been upset since yesterday. She might be giving you the cold shoulder.
William
I had no idea. I hope she feels better soon.
Susan
Maybe give her some space for now.
at the medicine counter
The Silent Encounter
Mary
Hey Joseph, I saw you at the counter earlier. You seemed upset.
Joseph
Yeah, I ran into Tom, and he just gave me the cold shoulder.
Mary
That's strange. You two used to be close.
Joseph
I know, but he's been ignoring me ever since that argument.
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Similar to "give someone the cold shoulder":
- 1snub
- 2ignore
- 3shun